SUCCESS STORY
Capacities.app: Migrating Tests from Cypress to Playwright
Testing Unleashed
Client Overview
Challenge
Capacities.app was facing the need to improve its automated
testing framework, which was previously built using Cypress. While Cypress
had been a reliable tool, as the application grew in complexity and the
need for more robust testing increased, certain limitations became apparent.
These included challenges in test execution speed, stability, and developer
experience, all of which prompted the exploration of alternative solutions.
The primary challenges included:
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Performance Issues: The speed of test execution with Cypress was becoming a bottleneck as the test suite expanded.
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Test Stability: Cypress required explicit waits for elements, leading to less stable tests, especially in dynamic environments.
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Developer and Tester Experience: Debugging issues were more complex, impacting the efficiency of the development and testing teams.
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CI/CD Integration: While Cypress integrated well with existing CI pipelines, it posed limitations in certain advanced scenarios, particularly when dealing with multi-browser testing.
Objectives
The migration aimed to address these challenges by transitioning to Playwright, a tool expected to offer faster test execution, better stability, and an improved developer/tester experience. Additionally, the migration sought to evaluate Playwright's capability in handling multi-browser testing and its integration within the existing CI/CD pipelines.
Solution
After careful consideration, Playwright was selected due to its potential to meet the primary objectives. Playwright was anticipated to offer a more efficient test execution framework, improved stability due to its automatic handling of dynamic elements, and a more intuitive debugging experience. However, the decision also recognized that Playwright might present challenges in CI/CD integration and that its browser support, while logically organized, might not vastly outshine Cypress.
"Switching to Playwright was a game-changer for us—its reliability and ease of use have taken our testing process to new heights. The challenges were worth every bit of the performance and integration gains we've achieved."
First Implementation
We established the initial testing framework using Cypress, focusing on core functionalities and laying the groundwork for automated testing.
Redesign of scenarios
The testing scenarios were redesigned to handle new features and growing complexity, enhancing test coverage and scalability.
Feature Testing Phase
Playwright was introduced to improve test stability and handle dynamic content more effectively during the feature testing phase.
Global Rollout
The updated testing framework was rolled out globally, with training provided to ensure smooth adoption and enhanced performance.
Migration Process:
Playwright was installed and configured for local testing, with a parallel setup alongside Cypress during the migration phase to ensure continuity. Critical test cases, especially those with stability issues in Cypress, were rewritten in Playwright, leveraging its automatic handling of element readiness to improve reliability. Debugging with Playwright proved more straightforward, enhancing the developer experience. Test execution speed was optimized using Playwright’s parallel test run features, though integrating multi-browser testing required careful management due to Cypress’s broader browser support. Integrating Playwright into existing CI/CD pipelines was challenging, necessitating more customization compared to Cypress.
The Results
The migration from Cypress to Playwright brought about significant improvements in some key areas:
Faster Test Execution: Playwright achieved a noticeable reduction in test execution times, which was the primary anticipated benefit.
Test Stability: Cypress required explicit waits for elements, leading to less stable tests, especially in dynamic environments.
Improved Test Stability: The automatic handling of dynamic elements by Playwright resulted in fewer flaky tests and more consistent results.
Enhanced Developer/Tester Experience: Debugging was simplified, leading to a more efficient workflow for both developers and testers.
However, some challenges were encountered:
CI/CD Integration: Playwright required more effort to integrate into the existing CI/CD pipelines, here Cypress had previously excelled.
Browser Support: While Playwright’s browser handling was logical, the breadth of browser options, particularly for niche or lesser-known browsers, was slightly better with Cypress.
Amin Chirazi – Managing DirectorTools used in this success story
Conclusion
The migration to Playwright provided Capacities.app with several key advantages, particularly in terms of faster test execution, improved stability, and a better experience for developers and testers. These benefits outweighed the challenges, especially regarding CI/CD integration and multi-browser testing. While Cypress had certain strengths that Playwright could not fully replicate, the overall gains in efficiency and reliability made the transition worthwhile. Capacities.app is now better positioned to handle the growing complexity of its application, ensuring high-quality releases with greater confidence.
